Halftone screen



J. A. c. YULE 2,292,313

' HALFTONE SCREEN Filed April 19, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 1 f T H Y m. Z. E 0 W m AM w w F m A E D J Y L E L F E 2 5, M F

Aug. 4, 1.942..

DENSITY Aug. 4, 1942.

DENSIZY Y J. A. c. 'YULE 2,292,313

HALFTONE SCREEN Filed April 19, 1940 a Shets-Sheet '3 DENSITY '9" 5 A TTORNE Y Patented Aug. 4, 1942 HALFTONE SCREEN John A. C. Yule, Rochester, N. Y.,. asslgnor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation or NcwJersey Application April 19, 1940, Serial No. 330,565

. 13 Claims.

' This invention relates to photomechanical processes and particularly to halftone screens used in those processes.

It is an object of the invention to provide a halftone screen, specifically a contact halftone screen for use in making positives from continu- J ous tone negatives, which screen gives improved quality in the highlights of the halftone prints made therewith.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method of making such a screen.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method of making a contact screen whose quality is practically independent of errors in density caused by either the light intensity or the strength of the developer used in making, the screen varying from the correct values which errors among others appear if one attempts to improve quality by underexposing the screen.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a method of making a screen for use in the process described in my copending ap-\ tives, whereas Murray's invention is applicable in its general form either to screens for positives or to screens for negatives.

According to the invention, a contact halftone screen is made up in which the density gradient in the region which controls the highlights 1. e. the region of least density of the screen, is zero only right at the center of this region and changes from this zero gradient value only slowly as the regions of greater density are approached. This eliminates distortion in the tone of the highlights of a haiftone print made therewith.

The gradient is, of course, zero in the center of the regions of least density because the density increases on both sides of this region. In

ordinary contact screens this gradient changes comers.

characteristics of a halftone dot of the variable density (contact) type to be carefully defined. The width of the dot is the distance between the centers of successive dots. Since the density distribution is arranged diagonally (as will be better understood from the description or Figl 8) the'points of minimum density are at the corners of each dot and are not halfway between successive centers. That is, the comers of the dot refer to the corners of a complete screen element, and do not correspond to the comers of middle tone dots in a screen negative. Thus, the density is a maximum at the center and a minimum at the corners and hence the density gradient is zero at each of these points. Density gradients are always measured radially from the center of the dot i. e. normally through the isodensity contours of the dot which are substantially square or slightly pincushioned about the center or corners. The gradients specifically considered here are those measured diagonally on the dot, i. e. on a line from the center to the When giving a numerical value to the gradient, the distance from the comer to the center (i. e. one-half of the diagonal) is taken as unity hence the average gradient numerically equals the difference between the maximum density and the minimum density of the dot. (The invention when applied to halftone screens having lines instead of dots considers the ridge of the line as the centre and the edge of the line as the corner.)

Since the gradient of any point on the dot diagonal depends on the average gradient of the dot, the gradient distribution of different types of dots is best compared in terms of the ratio of the gradient to the average gradient. This will remove from the comparison any eflect due to the factthat the dots have different average gradient values (i. e. different overall contrast). This ratio will be termed the relative gradient because it is, for any one pointon the diagonal, the gradient of that point relative to the other gradients and to the average gradient.

In the halftone dot of an ordinary contact screen, the relative gradient starting at zero at the comer of thedot reaches unity about .30

of the way to the center and falls ofl again to unity about .75 of the way. According to the invention I have found that when a screen is to sults are obtained if the relative gradientat the .30- mark is between .3 and .7 and does not reach unity until between .38 and .55 of the way and preferably between .40 and .50 of the way alon the diagonal toward the center of the dot. That is the gradient is less than unity at the .38 point I on the diagonal.

If, without employing the present invention, one were to attempt to produce a screen having a this gradient distribution (i. e. less than .7 at the .30 point and'less than unity at the .38 point on the diagonal) merely by underexposing, there would. be a large area near the corner of each dot completely unexposed. Thus the gradient and the relative gradient would be zero not only right at the corner but over a large area extending practically to the .2 point on the diagonal. Such a screen would not give perfect results, since there would be extreme contrast in the highlights of the picture. A screen according to the present invention-is one having zero gradient only at the comers (and at the centers of the dots) and having a relative gradient varying slowly from this zero value along the dots diagonal, which relative gradient has a value between .3 and .7 at .30 of the way to the center and a value of unity between .38 and .55 of the way to the center. I have found that screens with these characteristics give excellent halftone positives, so good, in fact, that such a .positive made through a 133 lines per inch screen looks at least as good as one made with a 175 line screen of the regular (non-con-.

ing of! to unity at about the .75 point on the diagonal it is kept up to between 1.2 and 2.5 at this mark and decreases to unity between the .85 point and the center (1.0 point) preferably between the .92 and .98 points.

This invention is particularly applicable to screens in which the shadow quality has been improved, because by having correct highlight quality, this preferred embodiment permits image contrasts to be used to takefull advantage of the corrected shadow quality and because it does not interfere with the control of shadow quality. I prefer to use this invention with transparent dye image contact screens since such screens permit full realization of the corrected tonal qualities in the highlight regions.

One method of producing such a screen according to the invention consists of giving an overall flash exposure to a photosensitive layer which has been or is to be exposed through a regular halftone screen in the usual manner employed in making ordinary contact screens. The main exposure is to a shadow image cast by a regular application of theinvention to the square dot type. r

The flash exposure has two effects. In the first place. it is relatively easy to control the ratio of fluash to main exposure whereas it is not so easy toinsure that the absolute values of the two exposures shall be correct. For example, the light source may have an intensity different from that p changing the shape of the H 8: D curve of.the

emulsion. With the flash exposure according to the present invention, an increase in development or main exposure is, accompanied by a raising of the toe, and vice versa. This change is such as to materially reduce the changes in gradient distribution. For example overexposure of both the main and flash exposures gives a more dense screen but the density distribution is practically unchanged whereas if only the main exposure is used, overexposure brings all exposures up on to the straight line portion of the characteristic curves ofthe emulsion used so that the effect of the toe of this curve on the density distribution curve is completely lost.

The second effect of the flash exposure is to give. a screen whose density distribution and gradient distributionapproach that of the screens described abovewhich I have found to give such excellent results. Thus an improved screen results from this process. Howeverrthe screen itself is not withinthe preferred range if the main exposure and development etc. are exactly the same as those normally used for ordinary con-.

tact screens. Two additional steps which may be used alternatively or together are necessary to bring it within said preferred range. Either the average gradient corresponding to the main exposure mustbe increased to be later brought back by. the flash exposure, which results in a dense 'screen or the main exposure must be'underexposed (i; e. limited to that which is slightly less than necessary to induce a latent image in the regions of the layer most shadowed by the regular screen) and the flash used to give density and gradient to the highlight regions which are not otherwise sufllciently exposed to have any density (other than fog). Either of. these methods gives a screen according to the inventionwhich the desired average gradient.

(cross line) halftone screen placed a suitable The main exposure may also be controlled to give excess exposure to the regions most exposed (the centers) whereby the quality of the shadow controlling regions'of the screen is also improved. This permits even better control of the low corner densities by the flash exposure.

While the exact manner of applying the flash is not a critical feature of the invention, I have,

found that its effect can be varied in numerous ways. The flash may be through a color filter and the relation of this. color to the spectral sensitivity of the emulsion determines the relativeeilect of the flash on diflerent densities. In

of exposures and possibly due .to unexplained causes, the shape does not conform' with the calculations and can be varied by the color of the flash, the intensity of the flash (the more intense being exposed for shorter times) and by whether the flash is given before or after the main exposure.

After receiving the main exposure(ordinary, under, with additional center exposure and/or high contrast) and the overall flash, the layer is developed in any suitable manner, e. g. to an ordinary silver image or to a transparent dye image. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention and the invention itself will be fully understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates the step of giving the main exposure when making a contact halttone screen.

Fig. 1A illustrates the step of giving the overall flash according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section of a contact halftone screen.

Figs. 3 to '7 illustrate the density distribution in the halftone elements of a contact halftone screen; Figs. 6 and 7 relate specifically to the present invention.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section of a contact halitone screen of the usual type.

Figs. 9A to 133 inclusive are graphs comparing the density distribution and the relative gradient distribution of fourteen different kinds of contact halftone dots.

In Fig. 1, a bank of lamps III with or without suitable reflectors Ii illuminates a difiusing medium I2 such as a ground glass or opal glass. A single lamp and a ground glass is not preferred because the difiusion of the ground glass is not great enough. A single lamp or a bank of lamps works satisfactorily with an opal glass for the difiusing plate I2, but I prefer to employ four lamps placed at the corners of a square and a ground glass. Any of these arrangements give uniform distribution of light over the diaphragm opening it which may be square, round, or oblong. Light from this source (III, II, I2) illuminates the diaphragm I having the aperture I6 whose width is D and through this aperture exposes a photosensitive layer I8.- The four- .over the aperture l6 determines the intensity distribution in each element of the shadow of the screenl'l and the distribution of light over the ground glass I2 which in practice is much larger than the aperture l6 and back some distance from it, determines the intensity distribution over the whole image on the fllm.

An ordinary, cross line screen I! whose interval S is made up of lines and openings preferably of equal width is placed a distance K in front of the layer I8 to cast a shadow thereon. The actual'value of K generally does not correspond to that calculated by simple geometry due to diffraction and otherphenomena; it is known that i K should be greater when high contrast emulsions are used. K'is usually between I a; a' 30 2D where'L is the distance between the diaphragm l5 and the layer I8. The dimensions of D, S and K, are obviously greatly exaggerated in the drawings relative to the other elements.

This exposure to a shadow image of the regular screen I! constitutes the "main exposure used both in the present invention and in the prior processes. This main exposure may be underexposed and/or may receive an additional center exposure (1. e. additional exposure to the regions least shadowed by the screen). The additional center exposure may be produced by giving a supplementary exposure to an opening whose diameter is less than D or as shown Fig. 1 by placing a neutral density l3 having an opening I4 concentric with the opening l6 adjacent to the mask or diaphragm I5. Before, during or after receiving the main exposure of any of the above types, the photosensitive layer I8 is, ac-

cording to the invention, given an overall flash on the regions least exposed by the main exposure. The minimum density is increased considerably without any appreciable increase in the maximum density at the centers of the elements and hence the average gradient is reduced. This is compensated for by using more contrasty emulsions and more contrasty processing. The greater the flash, the more must be the contrast introduced to maintain the correct average gradient which should be between .9 and 1.8 or 2.0, preferably between 1.2 and 1.6. Suitable development of the layer It gives a halftone screen 20 illustrated in enlarged cross section in Fig.2.

Figs. 3 to 7 illustrate in a general manner the effects of the various ways in which the exposure can be changed. These curves do not show any of the effects caused by a change in contrast due to the emulsion selected or to the type of processing.

In a positive made through any of these contact halftone screens, the contrast, i. e. the tonal qualities, depends on the areas of the elements in the usual halftone manner which areas in turn depend on the gradient of the screen elements. The highlight regions of the print have only small dots which are due to the low intensity exposures getting through the least dense regions of the screen and hence the tonal quality of the highlights is controlled by the density gradient in the region 24 of the curve 2|; similarly the middle tones depend on the region 21 and the shadows depend on the region 26. The steeper the gradient at any point on the curves 2|, 1|, 4!, BI, and GI, the flatter, i. e. less contrasty, is

the tone of the resulting positive because a change in intensity causes only a small change in dot area when the gradient of the screen is steep. Similarly low gradientsresult in high contrast pictures.

Fig. 3 represents the ei'iect an ordinary main exposure. This is the exposure received by an ordinary halftone screen not incorporating the invention. Such a screen has two main faults. Assuming that the average gradient, i. e. the diflerence in density between the point 22 and the point 123 has been adjusted by proper development tojthe correct value, the gradient'at the point 21 is slightly too high and the gradients throughout the region 24 and particularly at the point 25 are much too high. On the other hand the gradients over the region 25 are too low and result in too high a contrast in the shadows of a print made with this screen.

If this main exposure includes an additional exposure of the centers of the dots the region 23 over which the gradient is too flat will be reduced to almost negligible proportions as shown by the region 36. There will be no redistribution of densities in the regions 34, 35, and 31, but since theoverall density difierence between the points 33 and 32 and hence the average gradient is increased in the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, the relative gradient at the points 35 and 31 are much less than at the points 25 and 21.

If one were to attempt to make a screen according to the invention merely by underexposing this main exposure, the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 would result. In this arrangement, the gradient at the point 45 would possibly be reduced to the correct value, but the region 44 around the point 42 which is the corner of a dot would have zero gradient which would give extreme contrast in the highlights. Furthermore, the average gradient as measured by the density difference between the points 43 and 42 has been reduced and hence the relative gradient of the point 41 is greater than of the point 21. That is, if this arrangement shown in Fig. 5 were processed so as to have the proper average gradient, the actual gradient at the point 41 would be steeper than that at the point 21.

According to the invention the main exposure whichmay be ordinary, may be underexposed as shown in Fig. 5 or may have the additional center exposure shown in Fig. 4, is augmented by a flash exposure which gives the results shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In Fig. 6 the main exposure does not include any additional center exposure and hence the points 51 and 53, and the region 56 are eifectively the same as the points 41 and 43, and the region 46 and are also the same as the points 21 and 23, and the region 26. However, the gradient in the region-of least density 54 is zero only at the center 52 of this region i. e. at the corner of the dot and changes only slowly from this zero gradient value through alow gradient as indicated by the point 55 to a maximum gradient at the point 51 somewhere in the region of aver age densities.

If the main exposure corresponds exactly to that shown in Fig. 3 and the flash exposure is given, the gradient distribution while somewhat improved is still not sufiicient to give the pregiven to this underexposed screen before development. Combinations of the two are also possible.

In fact the mostpreierred embodiment employs underexposure with a fairly high flash and contrasty development to give the correct average radient.

Any oi these preferred embodiments oi! the invention can be further improved by giving the additional center exposure to the main exposure as illustrated in Fig. 4. This results in the Preierred embodiment oi. the invention illustrated by Fig. 7 wherein the points 33 and 63 correspond to the points 33 and 34 and the points 42, 34, and

63 correspond to the points 32, I4, and 55. 01 course the average gradient is greater-in the arrangement shown in Fig. 7 than in the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 and hence the relative gradient of thepoint 31 is less, than the relative gradient of the point 31. I

Fig. 8 illustrates the general appearance of the dots of a contact halftone screen as viewed through a microscope. The points22 and 23 of curve 3 are shown in this Fig. 8. A point' such as the point'22 is said to be the corner oi a dot, and thepoint 23 to be the center or a dot. Thus the lines or edges dividing dots are diagonal and vary in density from corner to corner as shown in this Fig. 8. The distance 13 from the point of least density to the point oi greatest density 1. e. from the corner to the center is taken as unity when measuring density gradient. It is obvious that it one were to proceed from the center of one dot to the center of an adjacent dot the density would never fall to its minimum value but would actually tall at the edge to a density about halfway between the minimum and the maximum value. Other types oi dot arrangements could be used, but since this is the most satisfactory type of contact screen whether incorporating the present invention or not, the present specification is limited to a description in termsoi .such a dot arrangement. It will be noticed that the distance 10 is scaled of! so that the point 22 is at the zero mark and the center 23 of the dot is at the 1.0 mark and halfway between the corner and the center is marked .5. Intermediate points on this scale are not marked but the curves in Figs. 9A'to 13B are drawn through points computed for the .1, .2, .3, etc. points.

' In a halttone positive made through a screen of this type, the middle tones appear as square dots whose centres correspond to the comers of the screen elements and whose corners correspond to the'middle oi the edges 01 the screen elements.

When all of the factors which affect the distribution of density over the elements of a screen are taken into account, it will be seen that almost innumerable types of dots may be produced. These factors consist of two groups, the first including the emulsion sensitivity, the contrast of the developer, the type of processing and the conditions of processing and the second involving the distribution of intensity in the light exposing the screen. The first group may be varied over ranges well known in the art to give various minimum and maximum densities and various average gradients. Except for very minute differences in the general shape of the. characteristic curves of availableemulsions none of these factors affect the distribution of density and the distribution of gradient over the dot. The various methods 01 varying the distribution otlight intensity which can be combined in various ways similar to Type IV and a. flash exposure accord- 2,202,s1s" 5 to give different results include the additional center exposure, the underexposure and the over-, all flash. In order to make a quantitative comparison of the different effects separately and in combination fourteen types of dots have been selected out of almo.;t innumerable p0ssib.1ities. One of these is what I have found to be an ideal dot as far as tone control is concerned. Including this ideal dot, these difierent dots have the following characteristics respectively.

Type I.The ideal dot; all dots of this distribution may be termed ideal. The one selected has a minimum densty of .40 and a maximum density of 1.80 giving an average gradient of 1.40.

Type II .A dot made by prior known methods (receiving only the main exposure) having a minimum density of .40 and a maximum density of 1.70. Of all possible prior art dots this one was selected because it gives results nearest to those of the ideal screen; in other words it is the best prior art dot.

Type III.-A dot similar to Type II with a minimum density of .40 and a maximum density Type IV.A dot similar to Type III with an additional center exposure to correct shadow quality, minimum density .40 and maximum density 1.70.

Type- V.-A dot similar to Type II and having a minimum density of .30 and a maximum density of 1.70.

Type Vl.-.-A dot receiving the main exposure of Type V with an overall flash according to the invention, minimum density 1.40 and maximum density 1.70.

Type VII.A dot similar to Type II processed to a high contrast having a minimum density of .3 and a maximum density of 2.2.

Type VIII.A dot receiving the same main ex- 'posure as Type VII and an additional flash exposure giving a minimum density of .92 and a. maximum density of 2.22.

Type IX.A dot receiving an underexposed main exposure. Minimum density .3, maximum density 1.7. 1

Type X.-A dot receiving the underexposed main exposure of Type IX and a flash according. to the invention giving a minimum density of .40 and a maximum density-of 1.70.

TypaXL-A dot receiving a main exposure similar to Type III and a flash exposure accord ing to the invention, minimumdensity .40, maximum density 1.43.

Type XII.A dot receiving the main exp sure ing to the invention. this diflers from Type XI by having the additional center exposure included in the main exposure, minimum density .40, maximum density 1.70.

Type XIIL-A dot receiving an underexposed main exposure and a flash exposure according to the invention, minimum density .40, maximum density 1.43.

Type XIV.-A dot receiving an underexposed main exposure having an additional center exposure and a flash according to the invention,

I minimum exposure .40, maximum exposure 1.7.

Dots similar to VII.and VIII but with additional center exposure as well as the high flash and contrasty processing and dots similar to XIII and XIV with high flash and contrasty processing as well as the underexposure are equally important; in fact they constitute the bestpossible form of the invention capable of carrying the dot characteristics past those of the ideal dot. However since their characteristics will be fully understood from the fourteen types given, they are not described specifically here.

Taking the point of minimum density, 1. e. the corner of the dot as zero and the center as unity, the diagonal serves as a distance scale. The above type dots have the following density, gradient, and relative gradient distribution along this scale.

Density at distances Pot Aveiijagii, YDB gra1en .41.43 .47 .54 .66 .861.111.371.651.,60 1.40 43.40 .58 .74 .99l.29l.491.6l1.681.70 1.30 .32.:17 .47 .60 .s11.031.241.351.411.48 1.13 .3237 .47 .60 .8ll.031.27i.481.631.70 1.40 .3330 .50 .68 .93l.221.47l.601.671.70 1.40

.42.47 .56 .70 .931.221.471.601.671.70 1.30 .34.42 .57 .821.l61.551.892.072.162.20 1.00 .93.95l.011.111.291.621.922.102.182.22 1.30 x 30.31 .30 .50 .751.001.421.501.671.70 1.40 x .42.45 .52,.63 .821.11 .431.501.671.7 1.30 x1 .42.46 .54 .67 .861.071.261.361.41 1.43 1.03 XII"..- 40.42.46 .54 .67 .861.091.311.531.65l.70 1.30 x111..- 40.41.43 .48 .55 .60 .001.171.341.411.43 1.03 x1v.. 40.41.43 .48 .55 .69 .001.171.411.621.70 1.30

Gradient at distances Relative'gradient at distances Dottype 1 I I 0.08 .20 .36 .651.111.611.841.021.83 0 11.. 0.26 .501.001.601.031.021.40 .82'.39 0 .26 .501.001.601.031.021.40 .32 .30 0 .21 .48 .611.201.561.621.581.30 .85 0 .26 .501.001.601.031.021.40 .32 .30 0 .21 .40 .801.482.002.021.51 .ss .42 0 .26 .591.00l.601.931.921.40 .82 .30 0 .08 .30 .621.1s1.062.331.821.15 .50 0 0 .07 .671.372.102.401.061.02 .42 0 .14 .37 .651.161.902.382.001.10 .45 0 x1 0.21 .40 .89l.482.002.021.51 .88 .42 0 x11 0.17 .30 .701.181.601.761.701.43 .86 0 X111 0.14 .34'.651.l01.902.382.001.10 .45 -0 xiv 0.11 .27 .52 -.021.511.801.031.761.10 0

The density and relative gradients as given in the first and third of the above tables are plotted in Figs. 9A to 133. As far as screen quality is concerned, the absolute value of the density is not important, but longer exposures are required when the screen is dense. Since relative gradients are plotted in each case (Figs. 93,

103, etc.) the area under each curve is the same. The curves for Type I (the dot I have found to be ideal) and Type II (the best possible dot made by ordinary methods) are given in each one of these figures for purposes of comparison.

Figs. 9A and 9B illustrate the effect of the additional central exposure. Since dot'Type I V is an Ordinary dot which has is ideal anything which brings the curves nearer to the curve for Type I than is Type II, is an improvement on the ordinary dot. Type III is an ordinarydot whose average gradient is only 1.13. This particular dot was selected since the addition 01" the additional center exposure to this dot brings its'maximum density up to 1.70 so that it is comparable with the Type I and II. Type IV is the same as Type III except for the additional central exposure. In Fig. 9A, it would appear that Type IV is somewhat better than Type II. However, the improvement is not as great as would appear in 9A since the distribution of relative gradient is the important thing and it will be seen from Fig. 93 that the improvement in the corner of the dot i. e. near the zero end of the abscissa scale, is relatively small. The improvement in the center of the dot i. e. in the region of greatest density is quite considerable and hence this additional center exposure improves the shadow quality produced when using this screen. It will be noted in Fig. 93 that both of the ordinary dots Type II and Type III have the same distribution of relative gradient. In the above tables of gradient and relative gradient, the last significant flgure in each value is doubtful and unimportant, but

- is included so that small differences can be illustrated.

Figs. 10A and 10B illustrate the effect of giving an overall flash according to the present invention. If a dot is given a main exposure similar to the ordinary dot Type II and it is developed to have the same maximum density as Type II but with a lower minimum density so that the flash exposure brings it back to the same average gradient as Type II, the effect of the flash exposure is relatively small. Type received a slightly higher contrast development than Type II. If identical emulsions were used, Type II and Type V would have the same fog density, but for comparison purposes a difference of .1 is taken such as might occur if Type II were on a film base having a very slight tint. when the main exposure of this dot V is supplemented by a flash exposure a dot of Type VI results and it will be seen from Fig. 10A that Type VI is slightly better than Type II. The relative gradient distribution of Type II and Type V are the same and Type VI shows a slight improvement in this regard also. However, the improvement is not sufficient to bring 'the dot characteristics within the range which I have found to be desirable.

The following is one method of making this improvement even greater. similar to Type V is developed to a very high contrast as illustrated by Type VII. If the main exposure of this ordinary dot Type VII is supplemented by a very high flash suflicient to increase the minimum density by about .5 (.62 in the example given) and the dot is given the same development as Type VII the result is that shown as Type VIII. Since the overall density of this dot is very high, the curve for Type VH1. appears quite high in Fig. 10A. In order to make the comparison of densities easy the curves for Types I and II have been replotted at higher density as broken lines shown as Type I and II' respectively. It will be seen that the improvement of Type VIII' over Type II is considerably greater than the improvement of Type VI over Type II. This is particularly borne out in Fig. 103 wherein curve VII has the same rela- An ordinary dot .ity in the highlight regions.

i; ve gradient distribution as curves II and V but curve VIII is considerably better thancurve VI. A halftone screen with the relative gradient distribution of Type VIII gives very good qual- This embodiment may be combined with the underexposure oi the main exposure whereby the overall flash and the development contrast need not be so great.

Figs. 11A and 11B illustrate the eflect of underexposure of the main exposure. If one were to merely underexpose the main exposure, the result would be that of Type IX in which both the density distribution and the relative gradient distribution is apparently brought nearer to the ideal Type I. However, the density distribution curve is perfectly flat near the comer of the dot and the relative gradient is zero in this region. This results in extreme contrast in the highlights of a picture 'produced therewith and is not entirely satisfactory, although if the exposure is very accurately controlled there is a very slight improvement over prior contact screens. posure is underexposed and a flash exposure is given (resulting in dots 01 Type X) it will be seen from both Figs. 11A and 1113 that a very great improvement has been made in the high- 1 light region, 1. e. in the region of least density posure of the of the dot. Thus the preferred embodiment of the invention involves either an underexposure before the flash is given or a high flash developed to a high contrast as in Type VIII or a combination of these two steps.

Figs. 12A and 12B illustrate the efiect of combining a main exposure having the additional excenter with a flash according to the invention. Type XI is a dot similar to Type III except that a flash exposure has been given. Type XII has an additional center exposure and differs from Type XI in the same way that Type IV diifers from Type III. It will be seen that the combination of this additional center exposure and flash according to the invention gives very good results even without an underexposure of the main exposure or a development to a very high contrast as illustrated in Figs. 11A and 10A respectively.

Figs. 13A and 13B illustrate the effect of combining the steps illustrated by Figs. 11A and 12A. That is, the main exposure is underexposed but given an additional central exposure and a flash is added according to the invention. Type XIII is the result when the main exposure is under exposed and a flash is given, but the main exposure does not include the center hump. Thus this Type XIII has received the same exposure as Type X but is developed to a lower average gradient. TypeXIV difiers from Type XIII by the additional central exposure. ,Thus Type XIV has been underexposed with. an additional central exposure and then given an overall flash and processed to have the same average gradient as Type II. It will be seen that this Type XIV is almost identical to the ideal dot Type I. For all practical purposes it may be considered identical with the ideal dot Type I. Obviously this method of ma'kinga screen is much simpler than any involving the photography of a picture of an enlarged ideal dot. Attention is drawn to the fact that this so-called ideal is intended only for screens to be used in making positives from continuous tone negatives and was unknown prior to the present invention. The combining of the On the other hand, if the main exflash exposure of Type X or Type XII gives this excellent dot Type XIV. There is however another form of dot which is practically as good as Type XIV except for the high density. It is that dot, not illustrated, which combines the features of Type VIII and Type XII. That is, without any underexposure, the main exposure is given an additional center exposure and a very high flash and is then developed to a high contrast to bring the average gradient back to that required. Such a dot has a gradient distribution very similar to that of Type XIV and in practice gives excellent quality, and going one step still further, by underexposing a main exposure. having an additional center exposure, giving a high overall fiash and processing to a high contrast to get the correct average gradient, a dot is produced which practically matches Type I or can even be made to pass it which latter is not desirable.

Incidentally the combination of additional center exposure and overall flash as illustrated by -Type XII (and Type XIV) has another advantage over Type IV which is not entirely apparent from the graphs. Assuming that the picture to be reproduced has a number of important details in the highlights as is usually the case, then if Type IV screen is used the continuous tone negative will have to be very contrasty to get proper contrast in the highlights of the continuous tone positive. With this contrasty negative, the middle tones and shadows will be too contrasty even though an attempt has been made to reduce the shadow contrast by the additional center exposure. Thus the full benefits of the shadow control cannot be always realized except when combined with the present invention.

Another factor is of some practical importance v as follows: While as previously pointed out, it is the distribution of relative gradient that is the important feature for comparison because average gradient and hence gradient can be altered to the desired value by proper processing of the screen, still it is the actual not the relative i'gradient that afl'ects the final picture made therewith. Thus although it is not necessary to consider this factor when appraising the improvement gained by any particular procedure, the dot Type XIV is even better than might be imagined from Fig.

13B. Since in Fig. 13A curve XIV practically matches curve I throughout the region from 0 to .7, the tone reproduction by screen of Type XIV is practically perfect. Possibly a more'fair comparison would be of gradient rather than relative gradient 'or since Types If to JHV can only be compared by relative gradient, Type I curve could be considered without its center tip (density 1.8) so that its average gradient. would be only 1.3 (density at .9 of 1.60 and at 1.0 of 1.70 say).

Having thus described the various embodiments of my invention I wish to point out that it is not limited to the specific examples given but is ofthe scope of the appended claims.

tween .3 and .7 at a point .3 of the way from the corner to the center of each element and is less than unity at a-point .38 of said way.

2. A contact halftone screen comprising elements which are graded substantially continuously in density from th corners to the centers thereof, the density gradient being zero only at said corners and at said centers, the gradient varying slowly from zero at the corners to a high gradient in the regions of average density and the gradient varying rapidly from zero at the centers to a high gradient in the regions of average density and in which the average gradient is between .9 and 2.0 and the relative gradient is between .3 and .7 at a point .301 the way from the corner to the center 'of each element, is less than unity at a point .38 of said way, is between 1.2 and 2.5 at a point .75 of said Way and is greater than unity at a point .85 of said way.

3. A contact halftone screen according to claim 1 in which the maximum density of one element exceeds the minimum density of that element by at lease .9. 4. A contact halftone screen according to claim 1' in which the average gradient is about 1.4 and the relative gradient is about .15 at a point .1 of the way from the corner to the center of each element, is about .5 at a point .3 of said way and is unity at a point about .4 of said way.

5. A contact halftone screen according to claim 2 in which the average gradient is about 1.4 and the relative gradient is about .15 of a point .1 of the way from the corner to the center of each element, is about .5 at a point .3 of said way, is

unity at a point about .4 of said way, reaches a maximum of about 2 and is unity again at a point about .9 of said way.

6. The method of making a contact halftone screen which comprises placing a photosensitive layer a distance L behind a diaphragm having an aperture of diameter D therein, placing an ordinary halftone screen whose interval is S a distance K in front of the layer, where K has a value between exposing the layerthrough the aperture and the What I claim and desire to secure by Letters 65 Patent of the United States is:

1. A contact halftone screen comprising elements which are graded substantially continuously in density from the corners to the centers thereof, the density gradient in the regions of least density which are said corners being zero only at said corners and varying slowly from zero to a high gradient inthe regions of average density and in which the average gradient is between .9 and 2.0 and the relativegradlent is bescreen, slightly overall flashing the layer and developing the layer.

7. The method according to claim 6 in which the exposing of the layer through the aperture and the screen'is limited to that which is slightly less'th'an that necessary to induce a latent image v I in the regions of the layer most shadowed by said ordinary screen.

8. The method of making a contact halftone screen which comprises placing a photosensitive layer a distance L behind the diaphragm having an aperture of diameter D therein, placing an ordinary halftone screen whose interval is S a distance K in front of the layer, where K has a value between 4D and T exposing the layer through the aperture and the screen, overall flashing the layer to increase the minimum density by about .5 and developing the layer to an average gradient of about 1.4.

9. The method according to claim 8 in which 7 the exposing of the layer through the aperture and the screen is limited to that which is slightly less than that necessary to induce a latent image in the regions of the layer most shadowed by said ordinary screen.

10. The method or making a contact halftone screen which comprises placing a photosensitive layer a distance L an aperture of diameter D therein, placing .an ordinary halftone screen whose interval is S a distance K in front of the layer, value between SL SL 74-15 and exposing the layer through the aperture, at least a portion of the exposure behind the diaphragm having where K has a being to light which is more intense in the center than near the edges of the aperture, slightly overallflashing the layer and developing the layer.

11. The method according to claim 10 in which the exposing of the layer through the aperture and the screen is limited to that which is slightly less than that necessary to induce a latent image in the regions of the layer most shadowed by said ordinary screen.

12. The method or making a contact halitone screen which comprises placing a photosensitive layer a distance L behind the diaphragm having an aperture of diameter D therein, placing an ordinary halttone screen whose interval is S a distance K in front 0! the layer, where K- has a value between exposing the layer through the aperture, at least a portion of the exposure being to light which is more intense in the center than near the edges of the aperture, overall flashing the layer to inless than that necessary to inducea latent image in the regions of the layer most shadowed by said ordinary screen.

JOHN A. C. YULE.. 

